Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid: Espí strikes late as Mourinho begins second spell with dramatic win | OneFootball

Real Madrid began José Mourinho’s second spell in charge with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Espanyol, as substitute Carlos Espí scored a 90th-minute winner at the RCDE Stadium.

Jude Bellingham had given Madrid an early lead with a header from Arda Güler’s free-kick, but Álex Calatrava brought Espanyol level midway through the first half. The hosts had chances to go ahead before the break and made Madrid work for the result, with Marko Dmitrović later producing an excellent save to deny Bellingham a second.

Madrid increased the pressure late on and twice hit the woodwork before Carlos Espí finally settled the game. The summer arrival rounded Dmitrović and finished into an empty net for his first Real Madrid goal, giving Mourinho three points on his return to LaLiga.

As it happened

Madrid needed just nine minutes to open the scoring. Arda Güler delivered a free-kick from the left and Bellingham escaped his marker before directing a header beyond Marko Dmitrović.

The visitors controlled much of the opening period and Denzel Dumfries forced Dmitrović into another save, but Espanyol gradually found a way into the game. Clemens Riedel tested Thibaut Courtois from distance before the hosts equalised on the half-hour mark.

Javi Hernández collected the ball on the left side of the penalty area and picked out Álex Calatrava’s late run, with the Espanyol midfielder finishing first time past Courtois to make it 1-1.

Espanyol could have gone into half-time ahead. Omar El Hilali delivered a low cross across the Madrid six-yard box in stoppage time, but Roberto Fernández failed to make clean contact from close range.

Madrid went close again eight minutes after the restart. Another Güler set-piece found Bellingham inside the area, but Dmitrović produced a superb reaction save to tip his header onto the crossbar.

Mourinho introduced fresh legs as Madrid searched for the winner, with Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella both making their debuts before Carlos Espí was sent on for Bellingham with 10 minutes remaining.

Federico Valverde almost restored the Madrid lead in the 78th minute when his effort from the edge of the area took a slight deflection and clipped the outside of the post. Espí then came close five minutes later, but Kylian Mbappé’s square pass ran too close to Dmitrović.

The winner finally arrived in the 90th minute. Mbappé drove into the box and, after Espanyol failed to clear, the loose ball fell to Carlos Espí. The substitute took it around Dmitrović before rolling into the unguarded net to give Madrid a late 2-1 victory.